What caused the flooding in Inverness ? The flooding was primarily caused by extremely heavy rain. During the storm on Saturday 7 September 2002, Inverness experienced an exceptional amount of rainfall. Rain gauges around the Inverness area recorded the data. In the 12 hour period prior to the start of the intense storm the rainfall registered as 7.4 mm. In the 12 hours covering the storm there was 10 times that, a total of 74.2 mm. In one hour after midnight 31.2 mm of rainfall was recorded. The geographical shape of Inverness also contributes to what happens to excess water during times of heavy rain. Inverness is surrounded by steep hills to the south east and south west. There are more than seven burns draining off the hills to the south east of the city. When there is heavy rainfall the excess water has no chance of sinking below ground because of the steepness of the slopes. The burns run off the hillside so quickly that when they reach the lowland they quickly burst their banks. In the past the burns bursting their banks would not have caused much damage but since the 1950s Inverness has almost doubled in size. Land previously used as farmland, gardens or woodland is now used for housing and covered in roads or concrete. When heavy rain falls on to built up land there is no chance of the water being absorbed. It has to drain away through gullies and down drainpipes. In times of intense rain the drains quickly overflow and the water lies on the surface causing flooding in the lowest lying areas.